The present invention relates to a system for producing a cable harness assembly, and to the electrical testing thereof. Cable harness assembly apparatus for applying connectors having insulation displacement terminals (IDC) to planar, multi-conductor cable are well known. U.S. Pat. No. 4,570,326 to Meyer et al teaches such cable harness assembly apparatus. The apparatus thereof is of the type comprising a workstation with a press having a termination ram and a plurality of connector receiving fixtures including a lead fixture which receives the connector to which the cable is first terminated. The fixtures are mounted to a frame at predetermined intervals, where preassembled connectors of the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,359,257 to Lopinski et al and 4,410,229 to Stephenson, are placed in such fixtures, and the cable is threaded through the connectors before advancing the frame through the workstation, stopping the fixtures sequentially thereat to terminate the cable to the connectors. One disadvantage of such apparatus is that it is cumbersome and not well suited for automation.
A system more suitable for automation is taught in U.S. Pat. No. 4,682,39I to Hall, Jr. et al. The system thereof includes a plurality of stop means to control the connector fixtures into and out of the workstation in which the connector terminations occur. The various stop means are interlocked with different operations, i.e. connector termination, cable shearing, etc. Thus, such system is more readily adapted to automation.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,110,880 to Peppler et al represents an early effort to apply electrical testing in conjunction with harness making. As more clearly illustrated in the sequential steps of assembly of FIGS. 5A through 5I of the patent, a measured length of flat flexible cable is terminated at its respective ends and tested for shorts and continuity between the two end connectors. If a positive readout is obtained, covers are applied to the end connectors to produce a completed cable harness assembly.
Such testing system reveals a number of obvious disadvantages. For example, as a result of the step of first preparing measured lengths of cable, such entire length is lost if a short is detected during testing. Thus, this system can be costly from a material standpoint. Further, the operation to test a single cable assembly can be quite time consuming. The sequence of steps shows considerable back and forth movement. Briefly, the first end connector is crimped by means of a press, then tested. The second end connector is then moved under such press for crimping and testing. If positive readouts are obtained, the first end is then returned to the press for application of a cover to the crimped coneector. Such is repeated for the second connector. In an age of high speed automation, such a system is unacceptable.
The present invention provides for an efficient system for terminating and testing planar multi-conductor cable, which is fast, automated, and versatile. The advantages of such a system will become apparent in the description which follows, particularly when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.